Thirty years ago, a skiing accident forced Joan Platt to seek ways to exercise a broken shoulder. Little did she know that this misfortune would result in an artistic career.

Joan at her Studio

Joan at her Studio

"I never intended to become a potter," reflects Joan Platt, a former teacher, who, at age 71, produces exquisite, world-class ceramic tableware at her studio in Palisades, N.Y. "But about 30 years ago, I broke my shoulder and as a way of encouraging me to use rotary motion, a physician suggested I wash dishes as a form of physical therapy. At the time, my husband and I were raising three small children in New York City, and, frankly, I felt like all I did was wash dishes," she says. So, Joan registered for a ceramics class instead.

Plates on Display

Plates on Display

"I took to the process almost immediately," she recalls. In support of Joan's newfound passion, friend and artist Grace Knowlton offered her the use of a studio. "At first, I just played at making objects, but eventually, I developed my own designs."